Baco Noir is an important commercial variety in northern U.S states, as well as much of Canada. A cross of Folle Blanche and Vitis riparia, Baco Noir remains a lasting legacy of the turn-of-the-century French hybridizer, Francois Baco.

The grape produces rich, highly pigmented red wines with pronounced acidity. Baco Noir based wines are capable of moderate to long term aging and in many cases require some time in the cellar in order to soften the wines’ aggressive acidity. Aromas of the wine are pleasantly rustic and smoky.

Ontario’s Henry of Pelham has been particularly successful making and marketing wines with Baco Noir, despite the fact under VQA law the grape is relegated to Tier 2 status – meaning wines made from the grape may only list product of Ontario on the label rather than any specific appellation. Which begs the question; is terroir character limited to Vitis vinifera?From appelationamerica.com

In the international wine world, red hybrids such as Baco Noir and Maréchal Foch have the appeal of a tag-team wrestling bout.

They are the blue-collar grapes, the early-ripening, winter-hardy, heavy-bearing hybrids that lack the finesse, the breed and the delicate dispositions of Old Europe's noble vinifera varieties. (You know these as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot et al.)

Yet the contemporary Canadian wine industry owes Baco and Foch more than a debt of gratitude because they replaced the unlamented Concord and other labrusca varieties that made our wines undrinkable. And today producers such as Henry of Pelham, Malivoire, Quails' Gate and Summerhill have produced cult wines of these trailer park varieties that cost as much as their continental cousins.

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